Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A method of communicating data between a network device and a data network to which the device is connected via an optical fiber data link, the method comprising: connecting the device to the optical fiber data link; and monitoring the connection during a first interval in the device to detect data communication at a first standard T 1 and not to detect data communication at a second standard T 2 during the first interval, and if no data communication is detected at the first standard T 1 during the first interval, monitoring the connection during a second interval in the device to detect data communication at a second standard T 2 and not to detect data communication at the first standard T 1 during the second interval, and if data communication is detected at the second standard T 2 , establishing data communication between the network device and the data network using the second standard T 2 ; wherein the method further comprises at least one of randomising a timeout period for monitoring the connection and cycling connection monitoring of the device between the first standard T 1 and the second standard T 2 in a random order.
A network device communicates with a data network via an optical fiber. The device tries to establish a connection using a first communication standard (T1). It actively monitors for data signals at this standard during a specific time. If no T1 communication is detected, the device switches to monitoring for a second, different communication standard (T2) during another period. If T2 communication is detected, the device establishes communication using the T2 standard. To avoid getting stuck, the time spent monitoring each standard is randomized, or the device randomly alternates which standard it monitors first.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising cycling the device between monitoring at the first standard T 1 and at the second standard T 2 until communication is established.
The method of establishing network communication via fiber optic cable involves repeatedly cycling between monitoring for a first communication standard (T1) and a second communication standard (T2). The device keeps switching between T1 and T2 until a communication link is successfully established with the data network. This ensures compatibility with either standard.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the device ceases to monitor communications after a predetermined period of time if no communication is detected at either standard.
Building on the method of cycling between communication standards, the network device will stop searching for a connection after a certain amount of time if neither the first communication standard (T1) nor the second communication standard (T2) is detected. This timeout prevents the device from endlessly searching for a connection when no compatible network is present, saving power and system resources.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising monitoring at one or more further standards if no communication is detected on either the first standard T 1 or the second standard T 2 .
In addition to monitoring for a first communication standard (T1) and a second communication standard (T2), if no communication is detected with either standard, the network device will then monitor for communication using one or more additional, different communication standards. This allows the device to connect to a wider range of networks utilizing varying communication protocols.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first standard T 1 , the second standard T 2 and/or further standards are mutually incompatible such that a device operating at one standard cannot communicate with a device operating at one of the other standards.
The first communication standard (T1), the second communication standard (T2), and any further communication standards used by the network device are mutually incompatible. This means a device operating on one standard cannot directly communicate with a device operating on any of the other standards, requiring the auto-detection and switching functionality.
6. A method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein each standard provides communication at a different speed.
Expanding on the use of incompatible standards, each communication standard (first standard T1, second standard T2, and any further standards) provides data communication at a different speed. For example, one standard might offer a higher bandwidth connection than another, but require different hardware or protocols.
7. A method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein each standard uses different coding algorithms.
Expanding on the use of incompatible standards, each communication standard (first standard T1, second standard T2, and any further standards) uses different coding algorithms for transmitting and receiving data. This means the way the data is encoded and decoded differs between standards, requiring the device to adjust its processing based on the detected standard.
8. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each standard provides communication at a different speed.
Each communication standard (first standard T1 and second standard T2) offers a different data communication speed. The device selects the standard and speed based on what it detects on the optical fiber connection.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first standard T 1 operates at 1 Gbit/s and the second standard T 2 operates at 100 Mbit/s.
As an example of different communication speeds, the first standard (T1) operates at 1 Gigabit per second (Gbit/s), while the second standard (T2) operates at 100 Megabits per second (Mbit/s). The network device automatically detects and uses whichever standard is available.
10. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each standard uses different coding algorithms.
Each communication standard (first standard T1 and second standard T2) utilizes distinct coding algorithms for data transmission. The device's auto-detection mechanism must account for these differences in coding to properly interpret and transmit data.
11. A communication device for connection to a data network via an optical fiber data link, comprising: data communication means for communicating data to and from the data link at a first standard T 1 or a second standard T 2 ; and monitoring means connected to the data link to detect communication at the first standard T 1 or the second standard T 2 ; wherein the monitoring means are configured to monitor the connection during a first interval to detect data communication at the first standard T 1 and not to detect data communication at a second standard T 2 during the first interval, and only if no data communication is detected at the first standard T 1 , the monitoring means are configured to monitor the connection during a second interval to detect data communication at the second standard T 2 and not to detect data communication at the first standard T 1 during the second interval, and if data communication is detected at the second standard T 2 , the data communication means are configured to establish data communication between the network device and the data network using the second standard T 2 , wherein the communication device is configured to randomise a timeout period for monitoring the connection , or to cycle connection monitoring of the device between the first standard T 1 and the second standard T 2 in a random order.
A communication device connects to a network via optical fiber and supports two communication standards (T1 and T2). It has data communication components to send/receive data using either standard. Monitoring components detect which standard is in use. The device initially monitors for T1. If no T1 signal is found, it monitors for T2. If T2 is detected, the device communicates using T2. The monitoring process either randomizes the timeout period for each standard or randomly cycles between monitoring T1 and T2.
12. A device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the monitoring means are configured to cycle connection monitoring at the first standard T 1 and at the second standard T 2 until communication is detected.
The communication device actively cycles between monitoring for a first communication standard (T1) and monitoring for a second communication standard (T2) until it detects an active communication signal on one of those standards. This continuous cycling enables the device to establish a connection regardless of which standard is initially present.
13. A device as claimed in claim 12 wherein the monitoring means are configured to cease to operate after a predetermined period of time if no communication is detected at either standard.
The communication device, after repeatedly cycling between monitoring communication standards T1 and T2, will stop attempting to establish a connection if no communication is detected after a predetermined amount of time. This prevents the device from being stuck in an endless loop searching for a network if no compatible network is available.
14. A device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the data communication means is configured for data communication at one or more further standards and the monitoring means are configured to monitor communication at the one or more further standards if no communication is detected on either the first standard T 1 or the second standard T 2 .
The communication device's data communication components can handle one or more additional communication standards beyond the initial two (T1 and T2). The monitoring components will also check for signals using these additional standards if no communication is detected using T1 or T2, expanding the device's ability to connect to different types of networks.
15. A system comprising at least first and second data communication devices connected via a fiber optic data link, at least one of the first and second data communication devices being a device as claimed in claim 11 .
A system consists of at least two data communication devices connected by a fiber optic link. At least one of these devices is configured to automatically detect and connect using different communication standards (T1 and T2) as described previously; where the device monitors for a first standard (T1), and if that fails, monitors for a second standard (T2), and connects to the data network using the second standard (T2).
16. A system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the first data communication device operates at only one of the first, second or further standards.
In a system with two fiber-connected devices that auto-detect communication standards (T1 and T2), one of the devices can be simpler and only operate using a single, fixed communication standard (either the first standard T1, the second standard T2 or one of the further communication standards supported by the other device). This allows for a mix of advanced and simpler devices on the same network.
17. A system comprising at least first and second data communication devices, the first and second data communication devices each being a device as claimed in claim 11 , each device being configured to monitor to detect data communication at the first standard T 1 or the second standard T 2 for a different period of time.
A system includes two data communication devices, each capable of detecting and connecting using different standards (T1 and T2), and each using the method of monitoring for a first standard (T1), and if that fails, monitoring for a second standard (T2), and connecting to the data network using the second standard (T2). To improve connection speed, each device monitors each standard for a *different* period of time, allowing them to converge on a standard faster.
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November 18, 2014
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